The present invention relates generally to power, or energy, systems, and specifically to energy systems used in conjunction with the heating, venting and cooling of commercial and residential facilities.
Existing energy systems typically include energy devices that are used daily by individuals to regulate their ambient environment to comfortable levels and to adjust the temperature of other commonly used fluids, such as water and air. These energy devices typically provide conditioned air and water, e.g., heated and cooled water, and steam. Such conventional energy devices include, among other components, steam boilers, thermal fluid boilers, and heat actuated chillers.
Conventional boilers, such as steam boilers, typically employ a central housing, e.g., a vertical cylinder, to boil water by combusting oil, gas or an oil/gas mixture in the center of the cylinder. The water is heated to an elevated temperature by the heat generated by the combustion process. This relatively simple boiler design typically does not employ tubes or coils associated with the cylinder to assist the heating process, thereby eliminating the potential of tube failure and providing for efficient, safe and reliable service. A drawback of the conventional steam boiler is that it is, fuel-wise, relatively inefficient.
In conventional thermal fluid boilers the working fluid flows through one or more coils wound around a heating chamber. The heat produced in the boiler is absorbed by the working fluid and can be used to perform other functions, such as heating or cooling. The advantages of thermal fluid boilers compared to traditional steam boilers includes the elimination of corrosion, scale formation and freezing, thus resulting in reduced maintenance requirements. Thermal boilers further operate at relatively low operating pressures, and can utilize relatively simple working fluids, thus reducing the need of a dedicated boiler operator. A typical thermal fluid also has a greater heat capacity than its steam equivalent.
Conventional energy systems can also include heat actuated coolers or chillers. An example of one common type of an absorption chiller is an ammonia-water absorption chiller, which utilize adsorbent beds. In general, since sorbents take up the working fluid when cooled and desorb the working fluid when heated, the chiller is characterized as being heat driven.
The above conventional energy systems are invariably single function devices, using fuel to provide heating or cooling.
The efficiency of any energy system is always a concern, for economic as well as environmental reasons. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for higher efficiency energy systems that are readily integrable with commercial or residential facilities to condition, e.g., heat or cool, a selected fluid. In particular, a high efficiency energy system that integrates into the system conventional heating and cooling equipment, such as heating and cooling components common in commercial heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, would represent an improvement in the art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved, more efficient energy system for conditioning a selected fluid for use in residential or commercial facilities.
The invention will next be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments. However, it should be clear that various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, various systems employing various system structural components and configurations that utilize the preferred practice of the invention can be employed in conjunction with the aforementioned power system.